Like Caesar, America has crossed the Rubicon

On January 10, 49 B.C., Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River in Northern Italy, with his legions to march on Rome. While crossing the narrow river, Caesar is said to have remarked, ‘Iacta alea esto’, ‘The die is cast’, in reference to his defiance of Roman law, which forbade any general from crossing the Rubicon and entering Italy with an army. To do so was tantamount to high treason. Caesar’s action made his intentions crystal clear to those in Rome. He intended to join the struggle for power, as civil war loomed.

Since that day, the term, ‘Crossing the Rubicon’ became a metaphor for passing the point of no return, for Caesar knew that if he failed in seizing power in Rome, he would be executed.

Caesar - Bid - Dictator - Day - Roman

Caesar was successful in his bid for dictator and began on day one to drain the Roman Swamp and to Make Rome Great Again.

He immediately established a new constitution, which was intended to accomplish three separate goals. First, he wanted to suppress all armed resistance out in the provinces, and thus bring order back to the Republic. Second, he wanted to create a strong central government in Rome. Finally, he wanted to knit together all of the provinces into a single cohesive unit.

Caesar - Agenda - Census - Reduction - Grain

Caesar set out to pass an ambitious legislative agenda. He ordered a census be taken, which forced a reduction in the grain dole, and decreed that jurors could only come from the Senate or the equestrian ranks. He passed a sumptuary law that restricted the purchase of certain luxuries. After this, he passed a law that rewarded families for having many children, to speed up the repopulation of Italy. Then, he outlawed professional guilds, except those of ancient foundation, since many of these were subversive political clubs. He then passed a term-limit law applicable...